Sunday, January 25, 2015

I have, for many years, been the owner of a 1947 Willys CJ2A. I bought it in the late 90s to haul dogs on bird hunts and to take with me on occasional big game hunts.

On an elk hunt on Day Ridge, Oregon

Inevitably, one day it 'failed to proceed'. I thought it was the fuel pump, but found a new replacement didn't help. Decided it was dirt (or rust) in the fuel lines or perhaps a bad carburetor. SO pulled the fuel lines and carb and sent it to be rebuilt… parked the Jeep and covered it with a tarp and got busy with other stuff. A few years later I got back to trying to repair the old buggy. By this time there were still more problems. It wouldn't turn over. Pulled the head… had a piston frozen in the block. Now the fun began. Looking it over, I decided that it needed some serious attention and I began dismantling it to find and cure all the ills. In short order I was involved in a frame up restoration. Stripped it down and examined all components to see what could be used, fixed, or needed to be replaced. That was over a year ago. Now the old Willys has a newly rebuilt engine, transmission, transfer case, axles (with a full floating rear end with locking hubs), new brake system, new suspension, tie rod ends, and a rebuilt steering box. I am toiling to get the body repairs (read fixing the rust) done. This is what I am hoping to get to - a funky, but fully functioning, flat fender Willys classic…

Sunday, January 18, 2015

Jessi was seven months old when this photo was taken. By the time she was nine month old she was completely broke - steady to wing and shot, and required very few corrections to get to that point. All her preliminary bird work was with pigeons and electronic launchers, and when gamebirds were introduced there were no significant faults in her birdwork. As I continued to work her on pigeons there was a point when she tested me, and some corrections were necessary. As a result she began blinking pigeons and traps in her birdwork at home. She definitely made a connection between the pigeons and corrections, and wanted nothing to do with either. Her intelligence played a big role in this, as the corrections were not very harsh. I was fearful that this would lead to blinking gamebirds but it did not. I ran her in the California Shooting Dog Championship this past November and finished her with several pieces of exemplary birdwork on released bobwhite. This past weekend on her second wild bird hunt, at 2-years old, she pinned a covey of chukar and stood mannerly through the shot. Unfortunately there was no reward for her, shame on me!

Operating philosophy

The photo behind the title header was made by Clair Kofoed in NE Oregon several years ago - Jesse pointing, Huns flushing, and me thinking about the camera and shooting behind.

This century's quotes

"Over the long haul of life on this planet, it is the ecologists, and not the bookkeepers of business, who are the ultimate accountants."

- Stewart Udall, 1970

"Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end"

Search Living with Bird Dogs

Contributors

Mike's October Toby

"Ted" Wenaha High Ryder

Ted is a from Crockett/Sunrise lines, with some Cover Dog blood from his dam's side. Ted has earned eight shooting dog placements in his career, and has a lot of wild birds shot over his points.

"Cody" - Wenaha Code Red

Cody is from Jetsetter X Johnny's Jewel. He has wins at the Western Open AA Derby Classic, the Oregon Shooting Dog CH AA derby, was R-U CH in the 2015 Pacific Coast CH and the 2015 California Quail CH.

"Andy" Wenaha Black Storm

Andy is 16 months old - a son of Tekoa Mountain Patriot X Iron Mistress - a daughter of Grid Iron.

"Buddy" - Wenaha Strongheart

Buddy is from Robertson's Kennel - a son of Audubon Americus X Sunrise's Last Hope - a direct daughter of Tekoa Mountain Sunrise. He was whelped in June of 2016. A really nice pup and I am having fun with him.

"L.J." Wenaha Little John

L.J. is by Cody and Crockett's Prairie Breeze, a daughter of Crockett's Deep Freeze. He is now living in Oklahoma and enjoying life as a family bird dog.